Executive Director UK Innovation Hub

4 days ago

London, Greater London, United Kingdom CIC Full time

**Innovate and Lead with Us**

We are seeking an experienced, forward-thinking Executive Director to spearhead the launch and expansion of Venture Café across three UK cities in 2025.

This strategic leadership role begins with Venture Café London in King's Cross, presenting a unique opportunity to establish and operate hubs for innovation and connection in close collaboration with ARIA.

Venture Café was founded by Tim Rowe, founder and CEO of the Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC), in 2009, fostering one of the world's most powerful innovation ecosystems: Over the past 15 years, VCGI has united over 750,000 visionaries, developers, creatives, and civic leaders across 15 cities worldwide, building a global community of communities.

Key Responsibilities:
  • Develop and execute a robust strategy to attract and retain funding and program partners, including building a strong initial community of the UK's leading startups, researchers, investors, and innovators.
  • Oversee operational launch and ensure proper coordination for space, vendor onboarding, and implementation of internal systems.
  • Collaborate with Venture Café's People Success Team to recruit, hire, and train a strong team of 13 total staff.
  • Partner with Venture Café's Finance Teams to establish and execute accurate financial and KPI reporting for partners.
  • Support the execution of marketing campaigns to drive membership growth and enhance brand visibility in the market.
Your Ongoing Work:
  • Manage the business, including P&L responsibility.
  • Report on evaluative data in areas such as community and partner satisfaction and business performance.
  • Champion Venture Café policies and philosophies, serving as the primary advocate for Venture Café's UK team and clients.
Leadership Management:
  • Effectively build and lead operations, sales, programs, and strategic partnership teams, helping individuals grow professionally.
  • Communicate and direct work across local teams.
  • Grow and support the innovation ecosystem through partnerships with key allies, networking, speaking engagements, and involvement with area civic and industry organizations.
  • Expand community offerings through partnership development.
  • Nurture existing initiatives to support Venture Café's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging (DEIB) efforts while bringing a visionary approach to developing and expanding DEIB-driven programming and partnership opportunities.

Estimated Salary: £72,500 - £102,500 per year

About You:

We seek an exceptional leader with experience in the UK's innovation and entrepreneurial sector, specifically in London, capable of launching a successful community that is constantly evolving. As our ideal candidate, you have a track record of creative leadership within the UK's innovation landscape, solid understanding of financial statements, and the ability to navigate the nonprofit economic landscape effectively.

As a seasoned executive, you possess excellent management skills, comfort in outward-facing roles, and willingness to assist with day-to-day tasks as necessary. Your expertise will help shape the future of Venture Café in the UK.

Requirements:

  • Experience in building or expanding a business within the UK market, coupled with strong financial acumen.
  • Familiarity with the UK's innovation community, key influencers, networks, and organizations.
  • Minimum of a bachelor's degree (advanced degree preferred).
  • Fluency in English (additional language preferred).
  • Mastery of Google Apps for Business (Gmail, Calendar, Drive) and Microsoft Office (Powerpoint, Excel, etc.) as well as Salesforce and WordPress.
  • Global outlook with local roots and commitment.
  • Able to attend innovation community gatherings across the UK regularly, occasionally after regular business hours and very infrequently on weekends.
  • Domestic and international travel to other Venture Café locations as part of team events.

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